I hope people in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and in the board rooms of the now six member High Value Manufacturing Catapult network see this Christmas image and, along with local and national politicians ask: how did we reduce a 130 strong team of very talented civil nuclear energy researchers at the publicly funded, but now effectively closed, Nuclear AMRC to just a handful of very brave and determined people, led by Andrew Storer, trying to salvage something from the wreckage? The bulk of the Nuclear AMRC staff have now been made redundant with around 40 others deemed a good fit finding themselves transferred to The University of Sheffield AMRC in the hope of re-starting their abruptly derailed careers. Sadly, earlier this month, they were stunned to hear that the Chief Executive Officer of the The University of Sheffield AMRC, Steve Foxley, was himself quitting the organisation they had just been parachuted into. Imagine the shock. Perhaps it is time we heard from Steve, who declared himself “incredibly sad” to leave and from his close colleague and fellow CEO Andy Storer about what has happened in Sheffield and its ramifications for two of the region’s most influential innovation assests. Perhaps Labour Mayor, Oliver Coppard, and the Sheffield Council Leader, Tom Hunt, could establish an independent public inquiry into the events of the last six weeks — or extend it to six years to encompass the “sudden departure “ of the AMRC founders and its first CEO — to hear all sides of the story so that we can learn the lessons for the future of such important innovation assets. After all, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Sheffield City Council have pumped £14,000,000 of ratepayers’ money into building a new research arm at the The University of Sheffield AMRC at the very time when the council is projected to overspend its budget by £34 million in 2024-25, spread across key service areas that include education, homelessness, and adult social care. In that light, one might question whether a cash strapped local authority was wise to be spending £7million on an R&D facility to accelerate aircraft production in the USA with no public promise of jobs in Sheffield, beyond 30 new researchers for the facility. Perhaps the financing of the facility should have been left to either the private sector or The University of Sheffield to fund? Fred Perry Phil Rodrigo
Lovely to get out with the NucCol team to celebrate 8 weeks of business and break up for Christmas. Nice surprise to receive my Wonka golden ticket (yes Wonka!) scratch card with everyone else. Thanks for coming to see me in the best little town..😉 and for a lovely day team. Looking forward to what's to come and go at it again 💪🏽👊🏽 TCB⚡️ x
